The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a combat target which is of the type having a target image which is resiliently pre-biased against an impact or stop arrangement which, in turn, in the presence of a target hit at the target image can be brought into its ineffectual or disengaged position, and thus, releases the target image for rotation.
There are known to the art so-called drop targets, wherein the target image, generally structured as a head or chest target, is articulated at its lower edge at a stake or peg or the like or bears against a console or panel protruding from such stake. Additionally, extending from the stake or peg is a hook which piercingly extends with play through an opening provided at the target image. Engaging at the hook is a pivot lock which is hingedly connected at the side of the target image which faces away from the stake. At this pivot lock there engages a tension spring which strives to rock the pivot lock out of the hook, and thus, to release the arresting action exerted at the target image. At the stake there are also supported compression springs which strive to forwardly tilt the target image. Due to the action of the compression springs the pivot lock, after it has been rocked into the hook, remains fixedly clamped thereat and is prevented from rocking out of engagement with said hook. As soon as the target image is hit by a shot, then the compression springs, supported at the stake, temporarily are resiliently biased somewhat so that the pivot lock, under the action of its tension spring, can rock out of the hook, and therefore forwardly tilts over the target.
According to a second known drop target of the previously mentioned type the hook is articulated at the stake and is automatically suspended into the opening of the target image. At the target image there is articulated an impact arm with which there is operatively associated a tension spring. The impact arm, while stressing the tension spring, can be suspended at a projection of the target image. Upon jarring the target image, caused by a target hit, the impact arm travels over this projection, is rocked by its tension spring, and thus, strikes against the hook, rocks such hook, and therefore releases the target image so that it can perform a tilting movement. This second prior art drop target, in contrast to the heretofore discussed first embodiment of prior art drop target, has the advantage that the target image always tilts-over irrespective of whether the hit is at the one or other side of the target image.
What is common to both of the heretofore known state-of-the-art drop or fall targets is that, each hit, which sufficiently jars the target image, is directly displayed or indicated. However, in contrast to this advantage there prevails the much greater disadvantage that the once hit drop target which has thus fallen over, again must be manually erected. Therefore, with the heretofore known targets of the previously mentioned type, the hit display is a one time operation, requiring manual target resetting.
A training firing at a number of prior art targets therefore must be interrupted as soon as there have been obtained as many full hits as there have been erected targets. During this interruption the targets again can be erected.
Considering the fact that such combat targets, as a general rule, are erected in training terrain of poor accessability and, in part, the targets being erected at considerable distance from the gunners, each interruption of the target practice or firing operation, needed for again setting up the targets, constitutes an appreciable loss in training time.